Bidik Misi Allocates 302 Scholarships for Central Java

Kompas.com

he Central Java Higher Education Coordinating Board (Kopertis) in Territory VI said the quota for Bidik Misi scholarships for universities in this region will reach 302 students this year.

Last year, the quota for Bidik Misi scholarships for university students was only 69, with only 34 students actually receiving the scholarships, said Central Java Kopertis coordinator Prof. DYP Sugiharto in Semarang.

He explained that last year, the Bidik Misi scholarships were only for students who wish to continue their studies in universities with an accreditation of at least A for only four programs. These programs included health, economy, engineering and agriculture. It was already difficult to find A accreditation universities, especially considering the scholarships were limited to only four programs.

However, this year, there will no longer be any limitations for students to receive the Bidik Misi scholarship.

Bidik Misi Allocates 302 Scholarships for Central Java

Kuota Bidik Misi PTS Jateng 302 Penerima

Kompas.com,

Koordinasi Perguruan Tinggi Swasta (Kopertis) Wilayah VI Jawa Tengah menyebutkan kuota beasiswa Bidik Misi bagi mahasiswa kalangan PTS di wilayah itu tahun ini mencapai 302 penerima.

Keterserapan kuota beasiswa Bidik Misi pada tahun lalu yang belum maksimal,  disebabkan adanya pembatasan akreditasi dan program studi di PTS yang berhak mendapatkan beasiswa itu.

Guru Besar Universitas Negeri Semarang (Unnes) Prof DYP Sugiharto mengakui selama ini mahasiswa yang berkuliah di PTS untuk prodi-prodi tersebut kebanyakan berasal dari kalangan mampu, misalnya Fakultas Kedokteran untuk bidang kesehatan.

Namun, Sugiharto mengatakan bahwa pada tahun ini tidak ada lagi pembatasan penerima Bidik Misi di PTS sebagaimana sebelumnya sehingga memberikan kesempatan lebih besar bagi para mahasiswa PTS mendapatkannya.

New Curriculum in Violation

SINDO, Page 16

The government is called on to stop the implementation of the new curriculum within the next 14 days because it is considered to be in violation of the law.

Ahmad Biky, an attorney from the Jakarta Legal Aid Institute (LBH), says the 2013 curriculum is in violation of Article 4 paragraph (1) of Law No. 20/ 2003 about the national education system. This article states that it is a violation of human rights if the 2013 curriculum is only implemented in some schools.

“The curriculum violates the right to education, is discriminative and undemocratic,” he said at the Jakarta LBH office yesterday.

Ahmad continued to say that the new curriculum also violates Article 40 in that law which states that teachers, as educators, have the right to receive guidance for their career according to their qualifications. However, in reality, the government only trained a limited amount of teachers because the implementation of the new curriculum was also limited.

Another violation occurred based on Law No. 15/2005 about teachers and lecturers, especially Article 32 which states that the government is obligated to guide teachers for receiving academic qualifications and competence in managing the subjects for students.

Meanwhile, Article 36 paragraph 2 in Law no. 20/2003 states that a new curriculum that is implemented on all levels of education must be diversified with education units, regional potential and students. Then, the curriculum should be arranged by considering the potential diversity in each region and environment according to Article 36 paragraph 3. Instead, the government has deemed all regions equal for the implementation of this year’s curriculum despite their diverse potential.

Based on the above violations, teacher federations, the LBH, and some figures in education urge the government to cancel the implementation of the new curriculum within 14 days. They also demand the government to revoke Government Regulation No. 32/2013 about the national education standard and a few other regulations related to this including government regulation numbers 54, 64, 65, 66, 67, 68, 69, 70, and 71 Year 2013.

New Curriculum in Violation

Kurikulum Baru Cacat Hukum

Sindo, p 16

Pemerintah diminta menghentikan pelaksanaan kurikulum baru dalam 14 hari ke depan karena dinilai cacat hukum. Menurut kuasa hukum Lembaga Bantuan Hukum (LBH) Jakarta Ahmad Biky, kurikulum 2013 cacat hukum karena bertentangan dengan Pasal 4 ayat (1) UU No 20/2003 tentang Sistem Pendidikan Nasional. Pasal ini menyebutkan ada pelanggaran hak asasi manusia apabila kurikulum baru hanya dilakukan di sebagian sekolah.

Selain itu, kurikulum baru juga melanggar beberapa pasal di UU yang sama karena pelaksanaan yang dilakukan pemerintah berbeda dengan  pasal-pasal yang tertera dalam undang-undang tersebut.

Menurut Sekjen Federasi Guru Independen Indonesia (FGII) Iwan Hermawan, kurikulum 2013 merupakan kebijakan yang sangat dipaksakan. Ini tercermin dari penambahan jam pelajaran dan konsep kompetensi yang belum diujivalidasikan. Menurutnya, yang dibutuhkan pendidikan Indonesia bukanlah perubahan kurikulum, melainkan peningkatan kualitas serta kompetensi pendidik yang selama ini tidak diperhatikan pemerintah.

Ombudsman Threatens to Criminalize Cases of Nepotism in Schools

Koran Tempo, Page A8

The East Java Ombudsman is waiting for a clarification from schools and the Mojokerto Education Office regarding the violation that occurred in the new student admission quota and suspected bribery. East Java Ombudsman chief Agus Widiyarta threatened to criminalize them if they attempt to obstruct the Ombudman’s duty.

“If the schools and education office do not cooperate, they can be charged with obstruction of justice for trying to impede (an investigation) and violating the law on public service,” said Agus.

Agus already sent an official letter to the headmasters and Mojokerto Education Officel last week yet they have yet to respond. The Ombudsman demanded data from the school listing students who were admitted outside the allocated quota and suspected of adding an additional 20% to the amount. Based on information received by the Ombudsman, there were indications that these students were accepted in the school because government officials, legislative council members and certain authority figures requested their children to be admitted in the school. Some were even said to have bribed their way in.

Ombudsman Threatens to Criminalize Cases of Nepotism in Schools

Ombudsman Ancam Pidanakan Kasus Siswa Titipan

Koran Tempo, p A8

Ombudsman Jawa Timur menunggu klarifikasi dari sekolah Kota Mojokerto dalam soal pelanggaran kuota penerimaan siswa baru dan dugaan suap siswa titipan. Ketua Ombudsman jawa timur, Agus Widiyarta mengancam akan mempidanakan mereka bila berupaya menghalangi kerja Ombudsman. Agus mengatakan sudah mengirim surat resmi kepada para kepala sekolah serta Dinas Pendidikan Kota Mojokerto, tapi belum ada tanggapan.

Sementara itu, Ketua Komisi Bidang Pendidkan Dewan Perwaklan Rakyat Daerah Kota Mojokerto, Sunarto, mengkui ada siswa titipan dalam penerimaan siswa baru di beberapa sekolah menengah atas. Namun, anehnya ia menganggap hal tersebut adalah wajar.

Minister Sued over New Curriculum

Koran Tempo, Page A7 (2)

Less than a month after the new curriculum has been implemented in targeted schools across the nation, several education practitioners and activists decided to sue the Minister of Education and Culture, Mohammad Nuh, yesterday. They subpoenaed the minister on the grounds that the funds disbursed by the government were disproportionate compared to what the teachers and students will receive.

Secretary General of the Independent Federation of Teachers, Iwan Hermawan, says the new curriculum is full of discrimination. The implementation of the curriculum aimed at only a few schools across the nation will result in an uneven quality of students. This is in contradiction with the law on the national education system, he says.

Iwan also believes the new curriculum is also disadvantageous for teachers. Many honorary teachers who taught English in elementary school and information technology and computer in junior and senior high schools were let go. Their talents were deemed unnecessary because their subjects were cut off from the new curriculum.

In the subpoena to the minister, education activists and the Jakarta Legal Aid demand Minister Nuh to cancel the implementation of the new curriculum and revoke Government Regulation (PP) No. 32/ 2013. If these demands are not met within the next 14 days, they will propose for a judicial review.

Minister Sued over New Curriculum

Menteri Nuh Digugat

Koran Tempo, p A7 (2)

Sejumlah praktisi dan lembaga pegiat pendidkan meayangkan somasi kepada Menteri Pendidikan dan Kebudayaan Mohammad Nuh, menurut mereka angaran yang digelontorkan pemerintah untuk Kurikulum 2013 tidak sebanding dengan hasil yang akan diperoleh guru dan peserta didik.

Dalam somasinya, para pegiat pendidikan dan lembaga Bantuan Hukum Jakarta menuntut Nuh antara lain membatalkan Kurikulum 2013 dan mencabut Peraturan Pemerintah Nomor 32 Tahun 2013.

Menaggapi hal tersebut, Wakil Menteri Pendidikan Musliar Kasim mempersilakan gugatan tersebut. Menurutnya, semua pihak yang berkeberatan berhakmemberi masukan.

Government Develops Inclusive Schools

Koran Tempo, Page A7 (1)

The government will add more inclusive schools in all districts and cities across the nation. Inclusive schools are schools that combine regular students and students with special needs. There are currently around 6,000 inclusive schools in Indonesia.

Last year, 20 districts and cities committed themselves into becoming inclusive school friendly regions. This year, 20 additional cities have signed up for this. Inclusive school friendly regions are marked by regulations that require schools to accept inclusive students both regular schools and madrasah (Islamic) schools.

“In the future, we hope all districts and cities implement this inclusive school concept,” said Mudjito, director of Special Education and Special Services at the Ministry of Education and Culture.

Mudjito said if an area is an inclusive school friendly region, there will be special funds allocated specifically for this from each regional autonomy to help improve the facilities of these inclusive schools.

The ministry is currently preparing a new curriculum for children with special needs to be applied in 70,000 schools for children with special needs in 2014.

Government Develops Inclusive Schools

Pemerintah Kembangkan Sekolah Inklusi

Koran Tempo, p A7 (1)

Pemerintah akan menambah sekolah inklusi atau sekolah yang menggabungkan siswa regular dengan siswa berkebutuhan khusus, di seluruh kabupaten dan kota. Direktur Pendidikan Khusus dan Layanan Khusus Kementerian Pendidikan dan Kebudayaan Mudjito, mengatakan kini sudah ada sekitar 6.000 sekolah inklusi di Indonesia.

Ketua Dewan Pembina Yayasan Indonesia Peduli Anak Berkebutuhan Khusus, Budiarti Silalahi, mengakui penerimaan siswa dan para orangtua terhadap anak dengan kebutuhan khusus itu tergolong minim. Mereka menganggap anak inklusi merepotkan sekolah, terutama saat ujian nasional.

Adapun Kementerian Pendidikan tengah  menyiapkan kurikulum baru untuk anak berkebutuhan khusus di 70 ribu sekolah luar biasa pada 2014.